Pins in final two matches lift New Kent to Trojan Duals title

New Kent's Trojan wrestling team, coaches, and managers celebrate winning the championship over Mountain View in the Trojan Duals.

Alan Chamberlain photos

Trailing by nine points with only two weight class matches remaining, New Kent’s Trojans needed pins in both to surpass Mountain View’s Wildcats in today’s (Saturday) finals of the annual Trojan Duals wrestling tournament.

Victories by decision would not provide sufficient points to overtake the Wildcats, dropping the Trojans to runner-up in their own invitational tourney. Thus the task of gaining pins fell upon Wilson Gregory at 220 pounds and Zach Rodriguez in the 285-pound class.

Both came through.

Gregory pinned the Wildcats’ Kevin Cunningham in 1:48 to earn six points and pull his team within three at 36-33. That left the outcome up to Rodriguez who built a 5-0 lead on two takedowns and an escape before pinning the Wildcats’ Eric Dass at 3:58.

New Kent claimed the championship trophy by a 39-36 count, turning back a team that is rated 14th overall in state high school wrestling rankings. New Kent, by the way, is ranked 13th.

“Our kids were really excited and into it, and that’s what you want,” said Trojan coach Mike Faus, who gained his 250th career dual meet victory when his Trojans topped Glen Allen in the semifinals.

“Our seniors came through,” he said. “Those were big pins by Wilson and Zach and Zach Edmonds moved up to 182 pounds to get a crucial win by decision in the finals.

“We still need to get a little more match saavy, but we came up with the big wins when we needed them,” he added.

Rodriguez along with Duncan Johns (106), B.C. Laprade (138), and Blake Hohman (145) emerged unbeaten, all going 5-0 during the tourney.

New Kent easily rolled past King William (79-6), Manassas Park (54-18), Lee-Davis (54-10), and Glen Allen (43-22) to reach the final.

In the final against Mountain View, Johns got the hosts under way with a 12-1 decision over Joe Altofor. Jackson Gray followed at 112 pounds, pinning Mike Beaty in 42 seconds for a 10-0 New Kent lead. The Wildcats, however, answered with back-to-back pins in the next two weight classes before Kade Sanders (132) won a major decision over Jonathan Watson to put the Trojans back on top.

Decision wins by Laprade and Hohman stretched New Kent’s lead to 23-12. But the Wildcats swept the next three matches to assume a 30-23 advantage. Edmonds’ decision narrowed the gap to 30-27, but a Wildcat pin at 195 pounds set the stage for heroics courtesy of Gregory and Rodriguez.

“I’m happy,” said Faus. “I think we have a lot of potential. And as for the excitement and dedication of this team, it’s right there.”

New Kent 79 King William 6

106- Johns NK forfeit; 113- Gray NK pin Harris :23; 120- Mitchell NK pin Dszysky 3:01; 126- Perkins NK pin Church :24; 132-Sanders NK pin Duszynsko 3:58; 138-LaPrade NK pin Butler 1:03; 145- Hohman NK pin Saudy 2:41; 152- Giffin NK forfeit; 160- Taylor NK pin Adams 4:57; 170- Edmonds NK pin Walter 1:55; 182- Griffin NK forfeit; 195- Cavald KW pin Elswick 1:58; 220- Gregory NK pin Gilbertson 1:26; 285- Rodriguez NK pin Cockrell :13.

New Kent 54 Manassas Park 18

106- Johns NK forfeit; 113- Gray NK forfeit; 120- Mitchell NK forfeit; 126- Perkins NK forfeit; 132- Sanders NK pin Trueting 3:51; 138- LaPrade NK pin Altero 3:39; 145- Hohman NK dec. Fabian 8-6; 152- Giffin NK dec. Martinez 4-0; 160- Nolasko MP dec Taylor 8-2; 170- Edmonds NK pin Maison :29; 182- Miozai MP pin Giffin 1:25; 195- Gonzalez MP pin Elswick 3:05; 220- Jenkins MP dec. Gregory 2-1; 285- Rodriguez NK forfeit.

New Kent 54 Lee-Davis 10

106- Johns NK pin Hazelwood 1:48; 113- Keener LD dec Gray 9-6; 120- Mitchell NK dec. Timok 7-2; 126- Wooten LD dec Perkins 8-2; 132- Sanders NK tech fall Plummer 21-4, 4:30; 138- LaPrade NK pin Morris 4:38; 145- Hohman NK dec Anthony 9-4; 152- Boyle LD maj dec Giffin 13-3; 160- Taylor NK dec. Tingle 8-3; 170- Giffin NK maj dec Qualk 9-0; 182- Edmonds NK pin Ordaz 1:26; 195- Elswick NK forfeit; 220- Gregory NK forfeit; 285- Rodriguez NK pin 1:48.

New Kent 43 Glen Allen 22

106- Johns NK dec Francis 8-1; 113- Gray NK dec Furr 10-6; 120- Johnson GA dec Mitchell 3-2; 126- Perkins NK pin Williams :45; 132- Parsons NK pin Sanders 4:51; 138- LaPrade NK maj dec Davis 15-3; 145- Hohman NK pin Toney 3:56; 152- Giffin NK pin Pollard 1:46; 160- Taylor NK pin Ruff 1:48; 170- Turek GA dec Edmonds 4-2, SV; 182- Parrish GA maj dec Giffin 12-4; 195- Diaz GA pin Elswick 1:02; 220- Gregory NK dec. Majzer 6-0; 285- Rodriguez NK pin Haboush 6:55.

New Kent 39 Mountain View 36

106- Johns NK maj dec Altofor 12-1; 113- Gray NK pin Beaty :42; 120- Beltran MV pin Mitchell 1:25; 126- Godfrey MV pin Perkins 4:34; 132- Sanders maj dec Watson 17-6; 138- LaPrade NK tech fall Watkins 17-2, 5:00; 145- Hohman NK maj dec Farris 9-1; 152- Ramsey MV pin Giffin :24; 160- Bullin MV pin Taylor 5:50; 170- Swan MV pin Griffin 1:44; 182- Edmonds NK maj dec. Yi 10-2; 195- Frazier MV pin Elswick 1:14; 220- Gregory NK pin Cunningham 1:48; 285- Rodriguez NK pin Da

New Kent’s Bryson Mitchell has his King William opponent in trouble moments before winning by pin.

New Kent’s Blake Hohman looks to the ref as he closes
in on pinning his King William opponent.

New Kent’s Wilson Gregory wraps up Glen Allen’s Nick
Majzer to gain a 6-0 decision.

Blood from a cut on the forehead fails to slow New Kent’s B.C. Laprade as he works his way to a technical fall
over Mountain View’s Justin Watkins.